Gould (1982): Evaluation

Question 1

Strengths of Research Method (Gould)

Answer 1

Questionnaires once produced can be used to collect data from a large amount of people

Question 2

Weakness of research method (Gould)

Answer 2

Gould used a review- objectivity of collected evidence is questionable as he may have wanted it to support his argument

Question 3

Weaknesses of validity (Yerkes)

Answer 3

Low population validity- no females or children tested

Scores may have reflected their army camp definition of literate which was often lowered so far that they should have done Beta but was reassigned Alpha

Construct Validity is low- tests were culturally biased so did not accurately test intelligence

Question 4

Strengths of reliability (Yerkes)

Answer 4

Tests were standardised so everybody received the same question

Efforts made to ensure same level between of difficulty between Alpha and Beta tests

Yerkes gave clear instructions about how the tests were to be administered- even with scripts for administrators to say

Question 5

Weaknesses of reliability (Yerkes)

Answer 5

Conditions for testing lacked consistency. In some camps schooling to grade 3 was thee criteria for Alpha- In others it was anyone who could read

However these protocols suggested by Yerkes were not always applied

Question 6

Strengths of sampling bias (Yerkes)

Answer 6

Very large sample-1.75 from a wide range of backgrounds (white, black immigrants)

Question 7

Weaknesses from sampling bias (Yerkes)

Answer 7

Many were illiterate yet given tests for literate people. Only males

Question 8

Weaknesses of ethnocentrism (Yerkes)

Answer 8

The questions in white American culture.

Conclusions were drawn out about the IQ of black people and immigrants based on ethnocentric views of white American psychologists

Questions were written and answered in English and those who don’t understand the language wouldn’t have understood it

Question 9

Strengths of data (Yerkes)

Answer 9

Quant data (Yerkes) easy to analyse secondary data (Gould) quick to gather

Question 10

Weaknesses of data (Yerkes)

Answer 10

Whether the quantitative data is valid is the questions raised by Gould

Question 11

Weaknesses of Ethical Considerations (Yerkes)

Answer 11

Gould didn’t gain consent from the men to use their data

We can assume they had to right to withdraw

Psychological harm-Inability to complete the tests causing anxiety

Immigration restriction Act 1924- Socially sensitive

Question 12

Psychology as a science

Answer 12

Reliable- Standardised procedure

Objective- Score was a fact not an opinion

Question 13

Nature/Nurture

Answer 13

Yerkes- Intelligence is inherited (nature)

Gould- IQ tests are culturally biased (nurture)

Question 14

Usefulness

Answer 14

Gould’s study was useful in highlighting the issues with IQ tests
Yerkes- socially sensitive

Question 15

Free will/Determination

Answer 15

Gould- Performance on the tests is due to how much time spent in the USA, education received (determined by environmental factors)

Question 16

Reductionism/ Holism

Answer 16

Holistic- whilst previous research into intelligence were deterministic, Gould intended to critique previous methods of intelligence testing by Yerkes to highlight limitations of taking a reductionist approach

G’s explanations included cultural factors and language

Question 17

Individual/ Situational explanations

Answer 17

Both
Individual- As intelligence is a Yerkes is measuring a mental ability

Situational- It depends on where you grow up if you get good scores or not. Americans will get better scores than immigrants as the questions were culturally biased.

Question 18

Links to area/perspective

Answer 18

Individual differences- G is reviewing Y’s attempt to develop a way of measuring how people differ in terms of their ‘native intellectual ability

Cognitive- Y was trying too measure out

Question 19

Links to area/perspective

Answer 19

Individual differences- G is reviewing Y’s attempt to develop a way of measuring how people differ in terms of their ‘native intellectual ability

Cognitive- Y was trying to measure out a mental ability

Question 20

Links to key theme

Answer 20

Developmental- The implications of G’s argument is that a persons upbringing will have an impact on how ‘intelligent’ they come across in tests like those made by Y

Measuring differences- Review tells us it is very difficult to conduct and researchers must be careful when isolating variables